Swapnote, known as Nintendo Letter Box in PAL regions and Suddenly Exchange Diary[a] in Japan, is a messaging application for the Nintendo 3DS family. Swapnote was released worldwide in December 2011 via the Nintendo eShop. It was downloadable at no additional cost and was pre-installed on newer systems. Swapnote was the successor to the PictoChat app for the Nintendo DS line.
In November 2016, Nintendo released a successor called Swapdoodle.
On March 27, 2023, Swapnote and Swapdoodle were made unavailable to download due to the closure of Nintendo eShop services for the Nintendo 3DS.[2]
The original Nintendo 3DS system
Swapnote allows users to send hand-written/drawn messages to either registered friends online via SpotPass or other users locally via StreetPass.[3] The app also allows users to freely embed pictures and sounds into their messages, and change the position and the orientation of the picture and sound icons. Features are unlocked as players continue to send letters, such as the ability to hand-write/draw 3D messages, with additional stationery and features unlocked by spending Play Coins. Additional stationery can be obtained via certain Nintendo related events, such as using specific software, or by saving them from other people's messages.
Updates
On July 5, 2012, Nintendo updated the Swapnote application to feature six different colors of ink, with only one color being available per message.[4] On April 11, 2013, Nintendo updated Swapnote yet again, including the ability to take photos or record audio directly through the application, as well as the ability to undo drawings, and use different colors on each page of a message.[5]
On December 15, 2020, Nintendo of America released a software update titled "Swapnote Remastered" with instructions on how to perform the update on their support website.[6] This was then documented on Nintendo of Korea's support website as well on December 16.[7]
Nikki
A unique, female Mii character known as Nikki acts as the software's hostess and mascot. By standard, Nikki is featured in the tutorial messages that appear when users start-up and use the app over time. Prior to the SpotPass suspension, several Special Notifications sent from Nintendo based on special occasions featured Nikki announcing such occasions, such as Valentine's Day, and these notification messages often came with new non-game-based stationery and AR pictures of Nikki. Nikki's official Mii would also automatically appear in the StreetPass Mii Plaza when these messages were opened. Nikki's name is based on the app's Japanese title, which features the term Nikki (日記), which literally means "diary" in Japanese. As a character, however, Nikki's Japanese name is written in Kana characters (ニッキー[b]) instead of Kanji.
Due to the character's popularity, Nintendo had released another Nintendo 3DS app featuring Nikki called Nikki's Travel Quiz[c], although the app was exclusively available to members of the Japanese Club Nintendo rewards program.[8] After the discontinuation of Club Nintendo in Japan on September 30, 2015, the app is no longer redeemable. A Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme based on Swapnote called "Swapnote: Nikki and Friends" was released in Japan and North America. Nikki badges would occasionally become available in the Nintendo Badge Arcade app for Nintendo 3DS as part of the "Nikki & Friends" set. The app's host, Arcade Bunny, often expresses his infatuation towards Nikki. Nintendo of America originally used Nikki's physical appearance as a Mii Fighter to market Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. Nikki is included in the Wii U version of Super Mario Maker as an unlockable "8-bit" costume. Nikki returns as a host in Swapnote's successor, Swapdoodle. Nikki appears as an assist trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Discontinuation
On October 31, 2013, Nintendo abruptly suspended SpotPass functionality of Swapnote, presumably after an incident in Japan where minors were sharing Friend Codes with people who had exploited the messaging service to allegedly exchange pornographic imagery.[9][10] Additionally, the Special Notes service, which were also sent via SpotPass to promote Nintendo games, has also been suspended. Nintendo issued an apology to those who had been using the application in a responsible manner.[11][12]
Swapdoodle
Swapdoodle (Illustrated Exchange Diary[d] in Japan), the successor to Swapnote, was released as a free-to-start downloadable title in North America and Europe on November 17, 2016. The series retains several features from the original Swapnote, with the exception of photo and sound attachments and StreetPass sharing, while adding new features including Doodle Lessons, stamps, secret pages. The application could be expanded with purchasable downloadable content, which adds new pen colors, stationery, note capacity and lessons.[13]
The downloadable content is no longer available.[2] On April 8, 2024, SpotPass sharing and other online services will be discontinued.[14] However, Swapdoodle will be an offline app as users can still use it and the previously purchased content only to themselves.[citation needed]
Despite being a successor to PictoChat, Swapnote's messaging model is not based on the standard instant messaging model as PictoChat had been, as the application lacks instant messaging features such as keyboard functionality, chat rooms, and live-continuous messaging.[15]
^Andrew Brown on Oct. 31, 2013 5:45PM (2013-10-13). "Swapnote, Flipnote 3D Discontinued". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 2013-11-02. Retrieved 2013-11-01.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
